If you’ve ever caught yourself scrolling through parenting advice, wondering how everyone else seems to have it together while you’re just trying to keep everyone alive and semi-fed, this one’s for you. You might be exhausted, second-guessing yourself, and quietly mourning the mom you thought you’d be before reality (and a toddler) showed up. This isn’t another highlight reel; it’s a confession and a comfort. Because once you stop chasing the fantasy version of motherhood and start embracing the one you actually live in, things get a whole lot lighter, calmer, and more human.

Before I became a mom, I thought my village would look just like me—same phase, same parenting style, same oat milk. Instead, I found something better: a tribe of wildly different women who keep me sane, seen, and whole. One helps me survive. One makes me aspire. One reminds me I’m still a woman. This Mother’s Day, maybe the gift you really need isn’t a break. It’s a broader circle.